Shirtless
by acciolove-x
Summary: Stalking James Potter in the middle of the night while he's asleep and shirtless may not sound like a good idea. And believe me, it isn't. OK. I lied. But honestly, I am never listening to Alice again. I lied then too. Oneshot. L/J.


_Hello lovely people of Fanfiction land. I love you all just for clicking on the title of this story. This is something light, nothing to induce those mushy feelings in your stomach, I don't think. I didn't get all mushy writing it, anyway. Its just a little thing that I came up with. This is my first attempt at writing in first person, so please tell me what you think. Enjoy!_

.o.O.o.

**Shirtless**

I couldn't believe it.

"No, Lily, I promise I won't get too drunk Lily. No, Lily, I promise you won't have to wake me up in the morning because of my horrific hangover, Lily."

Hmph. Well, that's what you get for listening to James Potter, I suppose. It takes talent to be so stupid as to believe him. Even if he is cute and sweet and smart and really, _really _fit. Especially when he hasn't got a shirt on. But we're getting to that, all in good time.

So, you're most probably wondering what the Dickens I'm going on about.

I was sat in our Heads' Common Room, staring idly round at the barely glowing embers in last night's fire. Two empty bottles lay on the mantelpiece. There were sweet wrappers and magazines littered on the floor, and my half finished Transfiguration essay lay on the table, staring at me, I swear it was taunting me with its ridiculously long words and general unfinishedness.

Of course, it was _supposed _to be finished, because a certain somebody was _supposed _to be helping me, but no. The night before, when I was about three sentences into my essay (I don't normally leave homework so late, but things have been hectic lately) James' stupid friends decided to come barging in. OK, maybe that was a little harsh. Remus is friendly, and, much as I hate to admit it, Sirius can be funny sometimes. And Peter's just…well, he's just _there, _I guess. He doesn't really do much, unless you count basking in his friends' reflecting popularity. But I digress. The three boys came barging in, being rowdy as usual, as James was trying to talk me through the workings of this stupid subject.

"Prongs! Oi! Prongs You up for a drink?"

I'll never understand those nicknames.

"Not right now, Padfoot, I'm trying to help Lily," James responded. See what I mean? He can be incredibly sweet sometimes. He didn't even have to help me. It's not like we were going out or anything. He's just…really nice to me sometimes. It makes me feel kinda guilty about how I used to treat him. But that's not the point. Back to the story.

"Awww, come on, loverboy, she can do her essay tomorrow. Come and have some fun."

"It's _due _tomorrow, you dunderhead," I muttered, giving Sirius one of my glares. I'd like to think that they're scary, but I'm not really sure to be honest. I made a mental note to ask Alice.

"See? Plenty of time. You might even have half an hour if you get up early," Sirius said seriously (bad pun, I know), but giving himself away with his broad grin.

James sighed. "You guys can stay here if you really must, but please don't be too loud." Sweet.

"Woohoo!" The three boys chorused, and it was then that I noticed the paper bag in Sirius' hands.

"What's in the bag?" I asked dully, only really pretending to be interested. Well, I was pretending to be pretending to be interested, because I was interested, but…anyway. That's just making things unnecessarily confusing and complicated. A bit like Transfiguration, really. Not to mention my life.

Sirius grinned wickedly and put the bag down on the other end of the table. The unmistakable clink of bottles rang in the silence. Of course.

"Stuff," he said vaguely, emptying the bag of two bottles of Firewhisky and several bags of sweets.

After about five minutes, James' willpower cracked and he went to join his friends in the fun. After another ten minutes of me bravely ploughing on with the essay, there was a knock on the door. At least _some _people have the dignity to knock.

"Alice," I couldn't help but groan. For Heaven's sake, hadn't anybody noticed that I was trying to work?

"Hey Lily. What's going on in here?"

"I'm trying to do my Transfiguration essay."

"I was actually talking about the four boys on the floor over there."

"I think they're here just to get on my nerves."

"Oh."

After much persuasion from Alice, and even more persuasion from James, I threw my essay to the side and joined them on the floor.

I'd drunk Firewhisky before, of course, but not to the amount that the Marauders had. I knew of their tendency to turn one drink into ten, so I warned James not to drink too much. There was no way I was going to play alarm clock again.

I think, "No, Lily, I promise I won't get too drunk Lily. No, Lily, I promise you won't have to wake me up in the morning because of my horrific hangover, Lily," was the last sober thing he said.

Anyway, this is all just a little bit of backstory. Not entirely necessary, but nice for you to know why James still hadn't gotten out of bed.

So there I was, sat at the mahogany table and trying to ignore the sneering essay in front of me. Because I swear it was sneering. I had twenty minutes to get the essay finished and hand into McGonagall. She was going to go crazy if it wasn't done. As the clock on the wall ticked, I began to get desperate, and started considering going to wake James up. He was usually a light sleeper, so a simple bang on the door should do it.

When I had fifteen minutes left, I decided to go and wake James.

I made my way over to the red hanging on the wall near the fireplace and pushed it aside. It appeared to be a solid brick wall, but I knew better and walked straight through. On the other side lay a narrow staircase with deep red carpet and stone walls. I wandered up the familiar path to the small landing where mine and James' rooms where. The two doors were opposite eachother and the staircase ended directly between them. I knocked on the door to the right.

"James? James, you awake?"

Apparently he wasn't.

"James!" I said a little louder, all the while knocking on the door. Remind me to never trust him again.

I was starting to panic now, and wondered if I should go in or not. "James?"

Nothing. Hoping desperately that he had some clothes on (OK, I lied there) I opened the door a crack.

He looked so peaceful lying in his four poster bed, sound asleep. He was facing the door, and his glasses were on the small table beside him. His hair was messier than ever, and I caught a glimpse of his bare chest behind his toned arm.

Oh Merlin. Why did he have to have such a great body, and yet look so adorable and childlike all at the same time? I swear, it's too much for one person to handle.

"James?" I asked again, more softly. God knows why. I was trying to wake him up. "James!"

I walked over to the bed and shook him slightly. His turned over onto his back in his sleep, leaving his chest totally bare. It took a lot of self control to stay calm. It was pale, yes, but _muscley. _Is that even a word? I'm not sure. But it _was_. How can somebody so lean have a chest like _that_? I took my fingers and ran them across his torso gently. I thought I'd never feel anything as good as that. I was wrong.

But anyway, that's not the point. This is not about how gorgeous James Potter's chest is. Nope.

I brought my hand up his neck to his head and ran my fingers through his hair, very gently. "James? Wake UP!"

He grunted and rolled back over to face me. His eyes opened barely a millimetre before he realised someone was there.

"Gah" he yelled in surprise, yanking the covers back up to his neck. Damn. He reached for his wand and pointed it at me.

"No James, it's me you silly sod! Lily!" I yelled, running around the room, attempting to get away from the weapon he was pointing at me. He grabbed his glasses, knocking over a glass of water in the process, and put them on.

"Oh, it's you. You know, you could knock," he muttered, pulling the covers higher still. Grrr.

"I did. About forty times. I have ten minutes to get that essay finished and if it isn't done it'll be your fault."

"Oh yeah, that," he mumbled sleepily. "Five more minutes…"

"No, James, WAKE UP! You are NOT going back to sleep!"

"But Lily!" he whined. I wish he wouldn't whine at me. It's awfully cute.

"UP!"

"Alright, alright, I'm not a broomstick. Get out so I can get dressed," he snapped. I hate it when he's hung-over. He's so _moody_.

"Hmph." I said stiffly, before going to wait outside the door.

And ten minutes later, I was explaining to McGonagall why my essay was only half finished.

.o.O.o.

"Awww come on Lily, detention's not _that_ bad," Alice said consolingly, as we walked back up to the Heads' Common Room that evening.

"But it _is_! I've _never _had detention before!"

"And there's a first time for everything," she said bracingly. It's all right for her. She gets in trouble every other week.

I grunted.

"Do you know what you need, Lily? A sleepover!" she trilled excitedly. Every so often, Alice joins me in my dorm and we spend the night generally arsing around.

"OK, then go get your stuff. I'll see you in a bit."

A short while later, and Alice was in my bed, while I lay on a mattress on the floor.

"Alice?"

"Mhmm?"

"Why are you in my bed again?"

"Because I'm more important than you. How're things going with you and James?"

"Same as always. Not quite going out, but he's always so _nice_ to me. Its adorable."

Alice smirked at me. Cow. "You'll get there."

"Right. I don't even know why he likes me, you know. I mean, he's so…_fit!_"

Alice giggled. "I know!"

"He could have any girl in the school! And he wants me!"

"Enough of the depressing stuff Lily, let's just concentrate on the general good-lookingness."

"I really, really, _really_ wish I was in that room with him right now," I groaned. "God, the things I'd do…"

"Hmm, I like the way you're thinking," Alice grinned, raising her eyebrows.

"Hey, hands off."

"Sorry. I wonder how he'd look without a shirt…"

"Exceedingly good. Believe me."

Alice gaped at me. "You've _seen _him without a shirt? _WHEN?_"

"This morning when I had to wake him up. He sleeps without a shirt on."

"OH MY GOD. Right, that's it, come on Lily."

"What? Where are we going?" I asked, but I already had a good idea of where she was taking me. Or rather, where I was taking her.

"You are taking me to see Mr Potter."

"Now?"

"Yes, now."

I stared at her in horror. Honestly, I worry about that girl sometimes.

"Alice, there is no way you're making me do this."

.o.O.o.

"I can't believe you're making me do this," I hissed, as Alice opened the door to James' room.

"Oh, come on Lily, it's totally harmless! We're here, we have a little gawp, and then we leave again! Simple!"

I swear I'm going to kill her one of these days.

"How would you like it if people were sneaking in to gawp at you while you were asleep?"

"I'd be flattered, actually. Now shut up before you wake him," my supposed friend hissed, lighting her wand. "Oh Merlin Lily…I wish he'd just walk around without a shirt on all the time…"

I couldn't help it. I giggled. "So do I, but I think this might be a teensy bit stalkerish, don't you?"

"Oh Lily, where's your spirit?"

Alice looked at me and I looked at Alice. Then we both collapsed into silent giggles. "I can't believe we're actually doing this," I gasped.

"SHH!" Alice hissed, clamping her hand over my mouth so violently that she knocked something over and it landed on the floor with a smash. She seemed to have broken something. Typical. James muttered something and starting sitting up, giving us a full view of his torso. Alice and I ducked under the dresser, trying so hard not to make any sound that I was convinced we were about to explode. James' head hit the pillow with a thud. I assumed he was still asleep.

Alice took off her socks, then balled them before stuffing them into her mouth to stifle the giggles, which made me want to laugh even harder. Everything is so much funnier when you're trying to be quiet.

Once the hysteria had subsided and our sides had stopped aching (thanks to the muscle spasms that silent laughter brings) Alice decided to go and root around the room.

God help me.

As she tried to stand up, her head hit the top of the dresser with a bang and Alice cried out in pain. James moved again.

"RUN!" Alice whispered and quietly as she could, grabbing my hand and dragging me through the darkness. She managed to navigate herself to the door, but I wasn't so lucky.

I tripped over a long, wooden something, his broomstick, I think, and found myself flying onto James' bed. While he was still in it. Without a shirt on. In the middle of the night when I was not supposed to be in his room.

Crud.

James woke just in time to hear the door slam as Alice fled the room. I will kill her one day.

"What the…"

"Hi, um, nice night, isn't it?" I said brightly, in the most pathetic attempt to make conversation in the history of forever.

"Lily I understand that most girls tend to fall for me, but not in the most literal sense…" he asked blankly, his face the most cutest expression of confusion known to man.

"Ermm, well, I'm not, I mean, I shouldn't – I know I'm, erm, LOOK IT WAS ALICE'S FAULT, OK?" I finally yelled.

"Woah, Lily, don't shout, you'll wake everyone up," he said quietly, putting on his glasses.

"How are you so calm about this?" I questioned.

"By this, I'm assuming that you mean you throwing yourself at me in the middle of the night whilst we are both rather scantily clad?"

I looked down at my rather short shorts and strappy pyjama top and blushed.

"I am a little confused, I have to admit, but pleasantly surprised," James finally finished with a grin. Idiot. Cute, cute idiot.

"I did _not _throw myself at you, I tripped!"

"That's nice," he said flippantly. Of course he didn't believe me.

It took me a moment to realise that I was still lying on top of him. "Oh...er…sorry," I muttered, pulling myself off him.

"Don't worry about it. In fact, I'll have no problems with it if you want to lie on top of me again," he smiled, sitting up cross legged, like me.

Aww. He approved of my sitting position.

"Ermm…I'd rather stay like this," I muttered awkwardly. Stupid awkwardness.

"This is fine," he said, continuing to smile at me. How could he have been awake so quickly? I _thought _it didn't make much sense.

He reached out both of his hands and held the limp ones that lay in my lap.

"I'm sorry about your essay, by the way," he said softly, rubbing the tops of my hands with his thumbs. "I didn't mean to get you into trouble."

Good lord. He was even worse at making conversation than I was. But it was still sweet. "It's ok."

He didn't say anything to me for a moment, he just…looked at me. But he didn't just look at me. He _looked _at me looked at me. Like, really nice. Like he really cared. I just continued to gaze hopelessly into his hazel eyes, eyes that looked almost black in the darkness. It took a moment to register it when he looked down slightly and bit his lip. He was acting almost nervous. And James was _never _nervous. Not until then. He looked back up at me, a different expression on his face. It was determined, but still soft. I have no idea who initiated it – things are sort of a bit blurry – but before I could gauge what was happening our heads were moving closer together, and after another second his lips were curved around mine.

The kiss was short but sweet, and when he released the pressure, his mouth still hovered over my bottom lip. His tongue – yes, his _tongue_ - very gently touched my lower lip, and I let out a squeak. How embarrassing. James pulled away slowly, chuckling at my reaction.

"See, Lily? Being a stalker's not all that bad," he smirked, his face still startlingly close to mine. Wait.

I could literally feel my eyes widening. "You were awake the whole time, weren't you?"

James nodded and grinned.

"I hate you," I whispered, before giving him another soft kiss, forgetting trying to catch my breath.

"I love you too," he whispered back. "Now get out and let me get some sleep!"

I couldn't help but laugh with him. "'K," I said quietly, still staring up at him. As if I was going to go just like that. He didn't want me to go anyway. He was still holding my hands. We both stared at eachother for a minute, then giggled. Yes, James giggled. Oh God.

We both leaned in for another kiss. It was a little longer, a little deeper, but still just as perfect. And in case you were wondering…and even if you weren't…his tongue tastes really, _really _good. We both smiled as we pulled away. "I swear I'm going to go now," I said firmly. He smiled even wider pushed some hair out of my face.

"Right. 'Night, babe."

Oh my goodness. He called me babe. He actually called me babe. I felt my cheeks turn scarlet as I stood up and walked towards the door. I'm so glad it was dark. "'Night."

Just as I was about to open the door and face Alice, who I _knew _would be waiting outside, there was a creak of springs. James was bounding up to me. He grabbed me, not roughly, but more firmly than I was expecting, and gave me one last kiss.

"Sweet dreams," he murmured against my lips.

It took extreme effort not to grin broader than I've ever grinned.

"You too. I swear, I really am leaving now."

That's the last thing I said before opening the door and walking outside. My heavenly daze was cut short the moment I saw Alice sniggering at the top of the staircase. She gave me one frightened glace, then started to sprint down the stairs.

"I AM GOING TO KILL YOU ALICE CARMICHEAL!"

I swear I heard James laugh from behind the door.

And for the record? It's amazing kissing him. Especially when he's not wearing a shirt.


End file.
